The Spoils Of War
by ZombieGuy96
Summary: In The Aftermath of "No Going Back?" the 19 survivors at the Hardware Store decide to pass the time. A series of one-shots, focusing on the characters.
1. Taking Notes

**A/N- Hey! So after a some what emotional parting from you guys nearly a day ago. I'm back! (I know this came in a short space of time, but I've still got some time to spare before Uni, and I thought I'd treat you guys to a slighter happier story following No Going Back) anyhow in contrast to No Going Back, these series of oneshots will focus on lighter situations (all too pass the time). Henceforth this will make taking over Carver's camp seem worth it.**

**P.S. This contains a ton of Spoilers for No Going Back, so If you haven't read No Going Back, go on and read it first if you don't want the story spoiled for you. **

**Comedy's not my strong point, but I'll try... so with that in mind, I bring you... The spoils of war!**

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><p>It had been a week since Randy and his family had arrived at the Hardware store.<p>

Since then, Randy had joined the guards on the roof (although still keeping some distance from Kenny) while Patricia and Gill were allocated to become training doctors, to help Wyatt, Sarah and Sarita.

"You can never have enough doctors in these situations" Luke wisely explained to the family.

They got on with their jobs, learnt who was who, and what went down previously. Hearing so many stories was refreshing for Randy, despite the fact that Lilly was previously part of a bandit group. Or that the so called "wise leader" Luke had ripped the last leader "Carver" to shreds.

"Literally, he ripped Bill's guts out" one was charming recollection he received from the shady greenhouse man, Nick.

"Luke's a good guy. Bill fucking deserved everything he got" came an even more worrying response from the woman who played the guitar. Stephanie.

Other than that, Randy saw no problem with the group at large, of course they had their flaws, but that made them human. Hell, he and his wife weren't perfect and Gill could be sullen at the worst times... despite all this he knew he had gotten his family to a safe haven he had long dreamed off.

Quite simply, there was No Going Back.

While Randy focused on settling in with his family. Luke began to notice things, like certain groups starting to form and other people remaining isolated. His co-leader Clementine would keep him up to date on the latest news from camp. Recently Luke had asked for her to report on group dynamics.

"You want me to spy on them?" She asked him bluntly.

"I... just want you... see that everyone is having a good time and there are no rifts forming" was his answer.

Using an official looking clipboard and a tattered old pen, Clementine instantly wrote "_Lilly, Kenny-Rift" _she realised that her handwriting was shoddy, when was the last time she wrote? When was the last time she read? The reality that Clementine was illiterate dawned on her, when Sarah wanted her to read out "To Kill A Mockingbird" out to her and Clementine struggled to read the words. It seemed like a blur to her.

"What's a matter, is there a big word?" Sarah asked. Sarah had been telling her (in detail) her adventures with Nick. As they slept side by side in the make-shift beds, in the sick bay. (Which also served as a bedroom, as much as it served as a hospital ward) Sarah had used a small torch so Clementine would be able to see the words and read them to her. Learning that she couldn't, she dropped the book and muttered (embarrassed) "I... can't Sarah"

"What?" she asked, even though she had clearly heard.

"It's been ages since I was in school and I haven't read or wrote much for years now" Clementine explained, as Sarah's face lit up in the gloom of the sick bay.

"Well then, I can teach you! I read all the time!" She mused.

Well, Sarah had one advantage over Clementine.

The childish teenager surprised Clementine with her vast knowledge of words and their meanings. She pronounced long words almost perfectly and guided Clementine through sentences with her long finger. As Clementine uttered out long words "Un-der-stan-ding" Clementine read closely. Announcing the world slowly as Sarah clapped in celebration.

"You got it!" she told Clementine proudly.

These sessions made them grow closer as friends, as Clementine slowly started to read and write once again. Although she reckoned her handwriting still sucked.

Still, she could write and read the basics.

With this in mind, she set forth from Luke and her's office (it felt so good to call it that now, and not _Carver's office)_ and quietly observed the group dynamics.

Kenny was the centre of the social hub, offensive to many maybe, but he was likeable enough to draw a crowd. All the roof dwellers seemed to work together well, Vince, Eddie, Kelly, Randy and Kenny. They all seemed fine with each other. That was until Kenny got into a shouting match with Lilly over something.

"...HEY! I SAVED YOUR LIFE IN CASE YOU'RE FORGETTING!" Lilly screamed.

"... DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO OBEY EVERY GOD-DAMN COMMAND YOU MAKE!" Kenny roared back.

"UGH! YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED IN THE SLIGHTEST...!" Lilly ranted.

"They love each other really" Eddie slyly commented, causing Vince and Kelly to bend over in laughter, as Clementine slowly wrote

_Kenny-Lilly hate each other. Eddie, slyly comments on everything. _

Lilly didn't seem too popular with the group, but seemed to bond with Bonnie and Mike the most (as she worked with them) She went around the store that day, jotting down notes, feeling like a school inspector with sharp glasses and clunking high heels. The type of intimidating woman who used to inspect her old school, with her dreaded clipboard.

Eventually she handed her full report, to a weary eyed Luke, who began to read...

_"Nick, gets along with everyone okay. But seems to prefer the company of plants, hasn't shot anyone yet. So it's an improvement" _

_"Sarita and Rebecca gossip like old women"_

_"AJ, looked at me funny. Possible rift rising there" _

_"Wyatt, not losing weight. Hates Lilly and her daily training scheme" _

_"Sarah, gets on with Nick and is my best friend. But Gill seems to be steering a mile from her" _

_"Randy, Patricia and Gill, settling in nicely" _

_"Vince, gets on with Kelly real well"_

_"Bonnie and Mike, keep giggling at each other and smiling. Possible prank detected"_

_"Stephanie, likes to sing depressing songs to walkers" _

_"Me, looking good in my cool cap" _

_"You, running your hands through your hair to try and look cool. Is currently failing and the whole group hate you" _

Luke bent over and laughed for a full minute after reading this report. While Clementine simply stared on. Eventually he sat up straight

"So the whole group hate me?" he asked cocking a heavy eyebrow upwards.

"Yep, sorry about that" Clementine responded mournfully, her yellow eyes training on the floor.

"And you and AJ have got to stop fighting Clem, it's getting out of control" he told her sternly.

"Yeah, but he should have been nicer to me" Clementine told him.

In that office the two of them burst out laughing, a bit of stress lifting from their shoulders as they laughed at Clementine's ludicrous report. Since one of the windows to the office was still shattered (the one that Sarah had shot at, during the rebellion) the laughter echoed across the store. Causing Bonnie, Mike and Lilly to look up oddly.

"What do they have time to laugh about?" Lilly asked.

"I dunno, hell Luke could use it. Guy hasn't been the same since he lost Jane..." Mike began in his deep grumble of a voice, as the trio walked over the tiled floor and proceeded towards the pen, for "repair works" they would be busy on.

Back in the office, the laughter died down. (As it always did) Clementine noted that Luke's eyes became vacant once again. No doubt the guilt about what happened to Jane ate up at him during moments like these. She could have been here, laughing with him. But every happy moment he had, was quickly consumed by his own guilt that Jane could have enjoyed that moment as well. After he as much as killed her, he hardly felt like he couldn't laugh without some sort of penance.

Clementine knew that stage of survivor guilt, she had been in a dark place after Omid died and she could only hope that he would pull through. But Jane's death had hit him very hard.

Deciding to try and lighten the mood once again. Clementine muttered "Well... other than that I reckon the group works well" she told him. As Luke's eyebrows knotted together.

"I just don't want their to be anymore conflict. It could tear the group apart" Luke told the younger girl.

"There won't be" Clementine reassured him. Yet her words sounded shaky, there was already conflict between Lilly and Kenny and who knew how that could escalate.

"You know, when I get through all these ideas Vince has sent me. I reckon we need to get the group together for a sort of... getting to know each other better night" Luke said, gazing around the dull grey walled office, his eyes never resting on one place for too long.

"What, the GTKEOBN?" Clementine tried to shorten it, but it sounded like gibberish. Luke seemingly agreed.

"Nah, we can't go by calling it that! Jeez Clem I thought kids were meant to have a wild imagination" he muttered (once again running his hands through his hair, an action Clementine noted and rolled her eyes at). Yet she didn't speak any more as Luke carried on.

"Tomorrow, we can have it tomorrow night, get everyone in the group together and straighten' out any issues" Luke concluded as Clementine nodded.

"That sounds good. We could hold a weekly group meeting on the matter" Clementine suggested, building off the spine of Luke's idea.

"Now were talking Clem!" Luke said proudly, standing up and giving Clementine a gentle pat on the back, as he strode around his office. Sporting out ideas for this meeting night...

They were still settling in and making routines and new construction work. But had been nearly 5 weeks since they had taken Carver over. Surely a bit of bonding time and talking was what was needed. Especially at this stage, Clementine knew this could prevent future conflicts.

And by the way Luke was babbling on about it, she knew _he_ needed it too. She was only one girl, she had comforted him with his whole guilt over Jane thing and the pressures of being leader, but this still wasn't enough. They had opened up to each other on certain nights. As close as a older brother and a little sister could be. Yet despite this, it wasn't enough to get Luke out of his dark place.

Maybe knowing the group was at peace, would put Luke at peace. He doubted he would ever fully recover from what happened to Jane and what he did to Carver... but he could always get better. And fight on.

They would fight on. They were strong.

She left the office in high spirits. Only for her former inspiring thoughts to die, (with her sense of smell) when she passed Wyatt and Eddie, who were crouched by a shelf.

"Hey Clem were having who can fart loudest contest, wanna join?" Eddie asked innocently. Clementine eyes were watering and she could practically taste their gas in the air.

"No" she replied simply, trying hard not too vomit, as she rushed away from the scene, leaving Wyatt and Eddie staring. Before they simply shrugged it off and continued their... activity.

They had gone from badass rebels, to farting contests.

Clementine made a mental note in her head.

_Wyatt and Eddie, will be death of us all. _


	2. Surname, Age, Occupation and Conflict

**A/N- Thanks so much for all the reviews you guys! And for anybody interested there's a new poll I've made, (I tend to do one poll with every story, just a force of habit) basically if my fanfic was an episode and you played as Clem, which 5 choices would you make? (The poll is on my profile so... vote away!) also, for any of you asking if the last poll (about the characters) made any difference, it did. The characters that got votes (Nick, Sarah, Kenny, Eddie, Stephanie...) would survive the story. As people were invested in them, whereas the pool of characters with no votes, were the one's I was going to kill off (not all of them, but a few, as you saw with Jane, Russell and Shel)**

**Anyway, (this is will be a long author's note, but bear with me) onto answering your reviews! **

**Maximo-Thank you, I hope I don't disappoint**

**Lockdown- I can assure you, they'll be no deaths during this story. So I hope you enjoy! **

**Eggomypeggo- Thanks! **

**Blackgalaxystars- I'm glad you're liking Wyatt and Eddie, as easy (and great) they are to write about**

**apathy- Thanks for your reviews! I loved how you pointed out everyone's flaws and for Bonnie, Vince and Stephanie there was one or two words, but for Lilly there was a full paragraph, it made me laugh! and yeah, I will have a hell of a time trying to get Lilly to explain herself.**

**obsessed naruhina fangirl- Thanks for your kind words! and don't worry about not reviewing the last chapter for No Going Back? You've given me more than enough support anyhow and I'm glad you liked the opening to this story! **

**Bubbles2k100- Thanks for your review and I still have to remind myself that Clementine 11 sometimes and that (in down-times) she can still act like a child. **

**MizukiKitty123- Hmm... I like your suggestion, I'll see If I can get a Gill/Clementine friendship moment in later chapters.**

**AquaDestinysEmbrace- Glad you're back! And I can't wait to read chapter 28 of Bad Things Will Always Happen**

**Rebloxic- No, now I've started I can't stop (although expect longer waiting times between chapters) but I'm glad to continue this!**

**and finally FunFX2012, thanks for your review and now onto the second chapter!**

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><p>Clementine shuffled uncomfortably, the air around her was tense, moving caused to her to sweat slightly in fear of embarrassment, as many eyes were trained on the floor. All 19 of them, who lived in this hardware store were now cramped together besides the small fire in the pen. In an almost perfect circle, no one spoke as a few throats were cleared and people shuffled awkwardly in their garden seats.<p>

"Right then!" Luke finally shouted, cutting through the icy air, as he tried hard not to let the encompassing silence engulf him as he ploughed on with his speech. "Well, were here to clear out any issues and... well to get to know each other a little better" Luke mused, his eyes darting around each individual around the camp fire, as everyone looked back at him.

"Well, for instance I'll start... Luke inhaled and began...

"I'm Luke Harris, I'm 27 years of age and I used study arts and history in college. Before I went into business with my old man, when that fell through I became a farmhand for a while, before me and Nick tried to set up a business that crashed and burned after six months and then all this shit started..." Luke told them all.

"Damn" Mike whistled, gazing at Luke "That's a lotta failed business'"

Luke laughed at this, a merry booming laugh that broke through all the previous, awkward coldness in the air, "Yeah" he chuckled at Mike's comment.

"So, did you have any girlfriends or a wife before all this?" Sarita timidly asked, entering the conversation.

"A few girlfriends no wife. I was living the single life when this thing started. My parents were with me... but they didn't last long" Luke finished sadly, as his gaze found the cracked floor and he rubbed his shoe against the gravel.

"Oh, I'm sorry" Sarita sympathised, no doubt just for his parents. But for Jane as well.

"Ah, don't worry about it" he regained his composure, as he sat up in his chair again and boomed "Right! Anyone else?"

"I'll do it!" Bonnie responded with enthusiasm, as she sprang to her feet. Eyeing everyone carefully, she took a deep breath and dived into her tale.

"Well... howdy everyone. I'm Bonnie Wright, I'm 29 years of age. I grew up with my Mama in Texas, and I got my degrees from Uni. But since then, I just drifted around. As an unemployed Junkie, when this whole thing started... some old couple saved me, when I was as high as a kite..." (her voice became softer at this, as she spoke slower) "Anyway, they helped me get clean, but... then I accidentally killed the wife... she was approaching me in the dark. And... and I didn't know it was her! I thought it was a bandit! The husband got left behind... and I was alone for a little while after that... before Vince found me" she finished her tale sadly, before looking up again.

"Well, I just needed to get that off my chest, I know I must sound like an awful person to you. But having it out in the open, is always better than holding it in" Bonnie told the group wisely. As Mike cheered "Hear Hear!" to which Bonnie beamed at.

"Well, thank you Bonnie, that was great" Luke told her warmly, as she took her seat once again. "Anyone else, want to talk?" he asked of the group.

"Oh, oh, oh! Pick me! Pick me!" Sarah yelped up in her seat, her hand darting into the air.

"It's not like school Sarah, you don't have to put your hand up" Clementine informed her, as she muttered "Oh" her cheeks turning red, as all eyes turned to her.

"Well, go on Sarah. We'll all listen to you here" Luke encouraged her warmly, she seemed to relax slightly, standing on her two feet, she spoke on very fast...

"Hi, I'm Sarah Larson, I'm 15, I like to read a loads of books, I also like to..."

It went on, the others smiled amused as Sarah dove into her tales, giving a lengthy speech that few understood. As she mentioned books none of the others had heard of. She publicly humiliated Nick and Clementine by declaring that "There my two best friends here!" she gave them quick hugs before returning to her seat. With a jolly little smile on her face, and leaving Nick and Clementine as red as tomatoes as they shrank in embarrassment. Even more so at Sarita and Rebecca's "Awww's" at the little hugs.

"Okay, that was nice Sarah" Luke complimented, his brain frazzled a little at her tales. As she beamed, as smug as a cat in her chair now. Yet her happy tales had spurred the group into a much more comfortable atmosphere. So much so that Mike shouted over to Nick "Hey Nick! You should get up next!"

Nick (still in everyone's sights because of Sarah) mumbled "Nah..." and tried to shake them off with a wave of his hands. But that didn't stop the built up crescendo of "Come on!" or "Come on, Nicky boy!" eventually Nick gave into peer pressure and stood up tall as the group cheered and he smiled shyly back at them. Scratching the back of his hair (a telltale sign that he was uncomfortable) he began to speak, in his low southern drawl.

"H-hey. I'm Nick Duran I'm 25 years of age. I used to be a farmhand with Luke for quite a while, after I finished school. Then we both decided to go into business together. Like Luke said, it failed" Nick mused, with a tiny smile.

"What sort of business was this?" Vince enquired.

"We tried to set up a gun store. I encouraged Nick to join me, seeing as it's his speciality" Luke answered, as Nick chuckled slightly.

"I wasn't keen at the time, besides you were shit-faced when you suggested it" Nick remarked lightly.

"We were burnin' daylight Nick! It had be done!" Luke yelled humorously.

"Well, despite getting flat out broke. I suppose we had a whale of a time" Nick agreed with Luke, as the two shared a familiar smile. Clementine wished Luke would talk to Nick more. The two had a lot of history together, Luke brought Nick out of his shell. and Nick helped Luke think of happier times and was fully supportive as a friend.

When the commotion died down, Vince coughed and Luke gestured at him to stand up, Vince looked around nervously before he began...

"Hey... so I'm Vince Reyes I'm 32 years of age and before all of this I used to work as a cashier. Lame job huh? Anyway my brother got in trouble with some loan sharks, so... I popped a bullet in one of them. Earned me a prison sentence just as this thing started. I escaped the prison bus, I've been on the run ever since" Vince joked lightly.

"Careful, the zombie police will be on your ass" Eddie told him.

"Oh trust me, with the walkers on my ass every night. They are still hunting me down, right from beyond the grave" Vince said, looking out from beyond the barricade and into the dark night as he planted his bottom back onto his seat. Satisfied that he had cleared the air, about him being a convicted murderer.

"Well, that was great Vince" Luke said, as the list of people went on...

"Mike Brett, 32, I used to work as a fire-fighter, when this whole thing started I lost my girlfriend and was on my own for a while..."

"Rebecca Warren, 35. Married to Alvin. I used to work as a receptionist. Back when this thing started, I was just remembering running with Alvin..."

"Wyatt Evans, 25, Used to work in an furniture store before all this..."

"Eddie Ramos, 24, Used to be a professional slacker and I liked to do drugs occasionally. So don't sweat it Bonnie, you're not alone. Anyway when this thing started I dragged Wyatt's fat ass from the store he worked at and..."

He proceeded into a long tale about he saved Wyatt's ass more than a thousand times. After he finished there was no need for words. All anyone had to do, was give Wyatt a look. A "look" that demanded an honest explanation and Wyatt gave his dryly and in a few sentences.

"In other words, you used your car to pick me up from my house, and we fled to the nearest shelter we could find"

Everyone seemed satisfied at this explanation, as Mike openly questioned "Professional Slacker?"

"Yeah, not everyone can be as good as me when it comes to doing nothing" Was Eddie response.

A chorus of laughter broke out from the store survivors at this, as the speeches continued...

"Kelly Medina, 28, used to own a small flower shop..."

"Sarita Bava, 38, I had a few odd jobs..." Sarita began.

"Any family? Husbands or children?" Mike asked.

"No, I have dated many men. Although none like Kenny..." she paused dramatically, as Kenny leant in "Never have I met a man, who can snore as loud as he does"

Those familiar with the loud, guttural, noises Kenny made while sleeping, laughed in agreement with Sarita, as Kenny made a retort that Clementine didn't hear over the commotion. When the laughter died down once again, Rebecca urged a silent Stephanie to stand up and talk... after some slight pressure she gave in and stood up. As all eyes found her.

"Hi guys, so I'm Stephanie Clark, aged 20. I used to be a high school student before all this started. I played in a band, our manager was a guy called Roman. I enjoyed being in that band and when this whole thing started, I didn't get to my parents in time. But I got to Roman and yeah... we survived for a while" she stated lightly, before her eyes fell to the floor once again.

"Then, our group started to fall apart. I did some bad stuff, I stole supplies and I shouldn't have done. But Shel and Roman forgave me and it thanks to them I'm still here, so I hope you can at least enjoy my music" she mused before sitting down.

"The walkers will go crazy for your tunes" Eddie commented to lighten the mood.

"I know, they all try to approach me, I think they all just want a hug" Stephanie replied, as a low laughter rang around the camp-fire once again. Clementine felt Luke nudge her in the ribs. So far, everyone other than her, Kenny and Lilly had stood up and let the group know more about themselves. To prolong the whole Lilly-Kenny scenario, Clementine obeyed Luke's command and stood up (not tall, but still) all eyes rolled her way.

"Hey, I'm Clementine Marshall, I'm 11 years old. I used to go school before all of this, and I liked art a lot. When this thing started, this man called Lee found me and we tried to get to Savannah to find my parents. But they were already dead and Lee died. Since then, I've been with a nice woman called Christa, but we got separated in the woods and then I found Luke and the others, the rest is history" Clementine spoke, her whole tale of two years. In that time she realized that taking over this camp was probably the first positive thing that happened to her, on this timeline of death and misery.

The others store on, sombrely at the girl's sad tale. But hell, they all had sad tales. This was made apparent, as Eddie tried to move the subject forwards as asked "So... did this Lee guy the one who gave you, your awesome cap?"

"No, that was my dad. But it's still awesome and not yours" Clementine teased lightly, she could almost envision Eddie trying to make a replica of her cap, in pure envy of her own.

As Clementine sat down, everyone looked nervously over at Lilly and Kenny, knowing this rift was the elephant in the room. The silence almost threatened to overwhelm the happy atmosphere, as everyone began to look down once again.

Luke cleared his throat and running a hand through his growing, twisting hairs, he muttered "So... Lilly... Kenny, do you want to share?"

The atmosphere changed instantly, as Kenny coldly muttered "I'll share, when she does" he pointed an accusing finger at Lilly.

"Oh please, can it asswipe" Lilly snarled.

"Guys..." Luke warned, too little and far too late as Kenny heavy brows descended over his eyes. Trouble was simmering in the air... and it was going to kick off, Clementine counted down in her head, "in 3... 2... 1...

"I'm the asswipe! Do even need to begin with what you've done!?" Kenny yelled on cue, as Clementine rolled her eyes.

"Yeah! I've done a lot of bad stuff I regret! But so have you!" Lilly argued back, as Kenny began to rant...

"Well for one, her dad wanted my son thrown to the walkers, when they assumed he was bitten!" Kenny yelled.

"And remember when you dropped that salt lick on my dad's head! He was alive dammit! You didn't even give him the benefit of the doubt, like I gave Duck in the drug store!"

"DUCK WAS A LITTLE BOY! YOUR DAD WAS A WALKING PILEDRIVER!"

"DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY LESS RIGHT! YOU'RE A MURDERER!"

"I HAD GOOD REASON! AND I'M A MURDERER!? YOU SHOT CARLEY RIGHT ON THE SPOT! JUST BECAUSE SHE STOOD UP TO YOU! AND THEN AFTER LEE FORGIVES YOU! YOU GO ON TO STEAL OUR RV, AND LEAVE US!"

"NEXT TO A PARKED TRAIN!"

"HOW WERE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT WOULD WORK!? YOU LEFT US TO DIE!"

"I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE GROUP! I WAS IN A DARK PLACE..."

"WE WERE ALL IN DARK PLACES! THEN YOU PROCEED TO JOIN A BANDIT GROUP, THAT KILLS AND ROBS PEOPLE, AND YOU DID THE SAME TO NICK AND SARAH!"

"THAT WAS A MISTAKE! BUT I SAVED YOU! I SAVED YOUR DAMN LIFE KENNY! I DIDN'T HAVE TOO BUT I DID..."

"DOESN'T MAKE IT...!"

**"SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UP!" **

Luke had somehow roared this over the pair of them. As the remaining store survivors sat paralysed in fear, as Luke had just ripped his vocal chords apart to scream such a loud command at the pair of them, he didn't stop there, veins were popping out of his face and neck as he ranted on...

"WILL YOU TWO BURY YOU FUCKING HATCHET ALREADY!? WHAT'S DONE IS FUCKING DONE! WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT! WE JUST HAVE TO FORGIVE AND FORGET AND NOT SCREAM AT EACH OTHER LIKE CHILDREN! I MEAN... YOU'RE UPSETTING CLEMENTINE...!"

Clementine found several things wrong with this statement, for one, Luke was screaming at them. So that he wasn't staying true to his own point, and Clementine wasn't the slightest bit upset. Just annoyed. She had seen so many Kenny/Lilly arguments she had grown immune to them. It was also obvious Luke was clearly using her as "The little girl is upset, so stop fighting" card, to prevent the conflict. He should have been using Sarah, as she was sobbing slightly at the explosive argument.

"I can't forgive her" Kenny muttered darkly in response to Luke.

"And I can't forgive him either" Lilly replied.

They both sat down at this, topic over. But Luke wasn't finished.

"You're going have to learn to get along. We can't have these rifts tearing the group apart" He lectured.

"It ain't gonna tear the group apart, hotshot. We'll work together but It doesn't mean I'll forgive her, or like her any time soon" Kenny growled.

"Same here" Lilly replied.

There was definitive silence at this, finally Luke sighed loudly, trying to think of way to move the subject forward. His maple iris' finally found Randy's darker one's.

"Hey Randy, Patricia and Gill, you've been quiet. Almost forgot you were there, wanna speak up?" Luke asked of them.

To Randy this idea was ludicrous. Kenny and Lilly were at each other's throats, (and by the sounds of things, were both very bad people) Bonnie, Wyatt and Eddie were former druggies. Stephanie was a thief, there so called "leader" Luke had many failed business (along with his friend Nick, Randy had heard about the bridge scenario and knew the man was a loose cannon). He learnt Sarah was autistic (from a gossipy Rebecca, who made Randy swear not to tell anyone. Least of all, Sarah herself). Vince was a convicted murder, Kelly was once part of a group of murderous guards... and to top it off, they were relying on an eleven year old, to help to lead them.

If Randy had been stuck in a group like this a year ago, he would have packed his bags and left instantly. But after all he, Patricia and Gill had went through. With their large group, that had been torn apart by inner conflict and the stresses of the situation. He realized he couldn't be a snob and damn this group to hell. Sure they were bad, but they worked together. They were alive. Which beat about 99 per cent of the population at the moment.

"Erm... sure thing" Randy said standing up.

The group wasn't perfect. Far from it to be honest. But they were only human after all and stupidly honest.

With that in mind, he knew (for now) this store would remain standing for a while.


	3. The Walking Dead Goes Hollywood Part 1

**A/N- Okay, I'm going to keep this note short and sweet, but I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews and thank many people for pointing out how odd Luke's outburst was at the end of the last chapter. I'll get to work on it this chapter, and I also want to give a big thank you to Chameishida for her review on No Going Back (really made my day).**

**Okay, thanks for continuing to read, I'll get on with the chapter.**

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><p>Clementine sat in her chair, in her and Luke's shared office. Watching Luke and Vince discuss something complex that was alien to her ears. She stifled a yawn and thought about matters beforehand.<p>

It had been a few days since "The Meeting Night" it was safe to say, the majority of the group were now closer than ever. But the Lilly/Kenny rift had been set in stone, and she highly doubted that it would be solved any time soon. But what was even worse, was that there was an "odd" vibe in the air now, everyone seemed kind and themselves when they were around Clementine. But when Luke was with her, the mood changed. People were quieter, a bit more careful on what they had to say. Clementine had noticed this instantly, she didn't know if Luke didn't, or if he was choosing to ignore it.

She looked over at the young man, his tone was business-like as he addressed Vince, who nodded every so often. Clementine caught a few gist's of conversation, it was something to do with a replacement window for this office... and it was becoming exceedingly dull. Clementine felt her eyelids drooping, before she heard Luke growl in malice "So, what's that supposed to mean?"

Her interest spiked, Clementine lifted her head from the desk and gazed over at the pair of them. She met Luke's bark coloured eyes, as his face seemed to soften when their eyes locked. "Hey Clem, you wanna go outside for a bit?" he asked, in other words "Get out, me and Vince are arguing"

"No" Clementine said, intrigued to see what the problem was. Luke sighed, but he knew Clementine could be as stubborn as a damn mule (Kenny's words to describe her).

"Luke... I don't want you to kick off, I'm just saying. You... need a break or something!" Vince told him.

"I'm fine, don't patronize me Vince, I'm fine" he repeated, Luke's catchphrase, next to "Were Burnin' daylight" was "I'm fine" which he never really was.

"Really? Dude, I... no one else will tell you this. But I need to get this out to you" Vince told him formally, as Luke's eyes reduced to silts.

"Go on" He hissed.

Clementine leant over her desk in strange anticipation.

"Everyone's scared of you dude" Vince confessed, Clementine felt knots tie in her stomach, Luke and scary? The two didn't match at all, so how had Vince come this conclusion?

"Scared?" Luke eventually said, in a scalding tone.

"Yeah, that outburst you had at Lilly and Kenny the other day... well that did _it_" Vince said, his voice quaking slightly, as Luke chair screeched backwards and he stood up, panting heavily.

_"It?"_ he thundered.

"Yeah, it did it. It told everyone you're losing your shit man! I mean fuck... telling Lilly and Kenny to bury the hatchet and forgive people when you ripped Bill to shreds! If you kept Bill prisoner, you wouldn't just forgive and forget would you...?"

"Shut up..." Luke warned him dangerously.

"You can't forgive and forget! So telling others that, is a god-damn lie Luke!"

"Shut the hell up..." Luke warned again, his voice growing more deadly with each passing syllable.

"YOU CAN'T FORGIVE YOURSELF CAN YOU!? YOU CAN'T FORGET WHAT HAPPENED TO JANE! YOU CAN'T PREACH SHIT MAN, WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT...!"

**"SHUT UP!"** Luke exploded, his voice so loud and raw, just about everybody in the hardware store looked up towards the office in surprise.

Upon this outburst Luke proceeded to grab a small wooden box from his desk and fling it at Vince, who ducked just in time. As the box soared through the air and crashed against the wall, exploding into a thousand splinters.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM! ARE YOU JEALOUS! DO YOU JUST WANNA BE LEADER, CAUSE I'M UNFIT FOR IT! HUH!?" Luke was ranting, his spit flying all over the place, he looked completely deranged, and Clementine knew the second Vince had mentioned "Jane" that had been the trigger to set Luke off like this.

"YOU ARE UNFIT FOR BEING A LEADER LUKE! YOU CAN'T GET OVER THE FACT THAT YOU KILLED YOUR LITTLE GIRLFRIEND AND NOW YOU CAN'T GET YOUR FUCKING DICK WET..."

Luke screamed a response so vile... that Clementine actually flinched in discomfort, as he turned the air as blue as the coat Bonnie had given her a while back, while Luke was raging, Bonnie herself (with Randy and Mike on her heels) entered the room.

"What the hell's going on in here?" she asked, as Luke's rage died in his throat and he looked down to the floor. His eyes burning, Neither he or Vince spoke, but judging by the fact they had been screaming at each other... Bonnie, Randy and Mike knew there had been a mass fallout.

"Clem... you wanna go play with Gill and Sarah for a bit?" Bonnie asked, not looking at her, but glaring at Vince and Luke.

"Um... sure" Clementine responded, standing up and leaving the office. She'd heard enough of the argument and didn't want to stay and listen to more. Besides she knew all she needed to know now... but was Luke snapping? Clementine noticed he did spend a lot of time cooped up inside of his office. Nick had tried to talk to him a few times, but Luke seemed to be distancing himself from Nick once again. It would seem as though Luke was in a very dark place, just after Lilly had been after her father died.

Speaking of the devil, Lilly herself approached Clementine.

"Hey, you okay?" Lilly asked her warmly.

"Yeah" Clementine responded sadly, an indicator that she wasn't.

"I heard Luke go off, I think everyone here did... poor guy. People need to lay off him" Lilly mumbled, as Clementine looked up at her.

"I bet you understand what it feels like" she said to the older woman, as Lilly's brown ore's locked on her yellow one's.

"Leading a group after you've lost a loved one and people are just criticizing your every move..." Lilly sighed and ran her fingers through her sleek, long brown hair and she muttered "Yeah, I know what's his going through"

"Do you ever, get over it?" Clementine asked of her, as Lilly shook her head almost instantly.

"No, it's gets better after time passes. But you never get it over it Clem. I just don't want Luke doing anything stupid, like I did..." Lilly trailed off sadly, no doubt the guilt about what she did to Carley eating up at her again.

"Yeah" Clementine muttered, barely audible, as Lilly looked up at the office once again.

"I'm gonna go see if I can help. You run along now Clem" she smiled down at the younger girl as Clementine walked off towards the sick bay, to where Sarah and Gill would be playing no doubt. Lilly seemed happy to have her around and so did Luke. Sometimes she felt like the lone thread keeping their each of Lilly and Luke's frail sanity intact, and if Sarita died, no doubt Kenny would be leaning on her too. Sometimes these pressures got to her.

Which is why, it was amazing to have a friend like Sarah. Who could make her forget the situation with her games and talks.

She entered the sick bay, to find Sarah and Gill cropped up on a makeshift bed. Sarah was babbling away, while Gill looked like he wanted to be anywhere else other than here. Passing the photos on the wall (including the collar of Sam The Dog, who Nick had found in the woods and presented the grisly relic to Clementine for some reason. At first she was disgusted, but then she was grateful to have at least one thing left of the dog, even if it did leave a scar on her arm).

"Hey" Clementine said to the pair of them, seating herself on the bed, as Gill turned to her.

"Is there any way to shut her up" he moaned, as Sarah waved a copy of a star signs book in his face.

"I've been predicting Gill's future using this!" She told Clementine merrily.

"It's boring, I wanna do something else" Gill whined, fidgeting uncomfortably, even if they weren't getting along to well. Clementine found it relaxing to finally be around people her age for once, and not adults.

"Fine" Sarah said firmly dropping the book "But you're so moody Gill" she whined, as the small black boy scowled "Shouldn't you be hanging around people your own age?"

"No one hear is my age. I'm 15, Clementine's 11 and you're 12. We can all be friends here. Because everyone else is super old" Was Sarah's logic for friendship, as Gill face-palmed himself and groaned "Oh God..." having no idea why his parents had forced him to play with her. Personally he wanted to speak to the other girl Clementine, a lot more. She was his age, and seemed a lot more relaxed than Sarah.

"How do you put up with her?" he asked Clementine, as Sarah began to look at the photos on the wall.

"She's nice Gill, she's my friend,she helps me forgot about how bad the world is sometimes" Clementine responded, she wouldn't let him criticize Sarah, Gill simply sighed and grumbled "I wish I had some toys to play with"

"Me too" Clementine agreed, as Sarah looked back at them.

"You know, some of these pictures look like they came from a film" Sarah mused to them.

"They just look like people to me" was all Gill had to say on the matter.

"I know, but it's like... everything that's happened. It's like stuff that would happen in a film" Sarah explained, as Clem mumbled "Yeah..." as Gill suddenly seemed to shoot up on the bed, an idea in his mind.

"Could you imagine, if Hollywood ever made a movie on this whole apocalypse?" he asked of the two girls, his eyes bright.

"I don't think anyone will be making films for a while" Clementine told him sombrely.

"I know that, but what if this all gets better one day? Then they'd make films on survivor stories" Gill mused, now in his element, as he began with his tale... "I mean if they did make a movie... it would be like this...

**_Universal Presents..._**

**_A Gill Harvey Productions..._**

**_THE RACING DEAD_**

_"Life is cool" A boy narrates, (basically Gill) as the camera pans over an innocent looking suburb, as the sun shines and children play happily... _

_"That is until, the dead come back to life!" _

_Shows children screaming and people being bitten, as a young boy (again Gill) , flees through his house, fighting off the Walkers and making it to his dad's garage._

_"Now, one boy. One survivor, must learn how to survive... while doing the thing he loves..." _

_Gill looks up at his dad's sports car and smiles, as he hops into the front seat and pushes down on the pedal, as the car bursts out from the garage, crushing the walkers in it's path._

_"Armed with a car, this little boy will became humanity's saviour" _

_Rock music plays the background as several shots show Gill's character in sunglasses and crushing the dead, fleeing from random explosions and enemy racers as the walker herds grow bigger, as he ploughs through them..._

_"So don't get left behind slowpoke!" Gill's character yells to another character (an enemy), as he is devoured by walkers, as Gill drives off into a bright orange sunset._

_"Get ready... for the racing dead! Coming to cinema's..." _

"That is the must stupid idea I've ever heard" Clementine interrupted Gill's speech on the movie, as poor Gill's face shrunk.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because little boy's can't drive cars" Clementine argued as Gill shook his head "They can in Hollywood movies"

"No they can't"

"Yes they can"

"And you probably just based that little kid on yourself" Sarah added, as Gill glared at her.

"So? It's a good idea. After everything, People will want a good action movie, where we kick the walker's ass!" Gill mused, as Clementine and Sarah shared "Oh God, is his serious?" look. Gill caught this and argued "Fine, if you've got a better idea. I'd love to hear it!"

Behind her glasses, Sarah's eyes lit up considerably, as she boomed "This is how I would do it...!"

_**A Walt Disney picture presents **_

_**A Sarah Larson Productions**_

_**THE GIRL AND THE MONSTERS**_

_Narrator__ (Sarah) "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who was locked in a tower, by her cruel parents..." _

_Cut to a shot of a uglier looking Carver and Tavia, sitting around a cauldron, laughing in a sinister manner._

_"The girl..." (at this point it cuts to a much more beautiful Sarah, with no glasses, long flowing black hair and more womanly curves) "... was lonely for so long. Until one day..." at this point a high pitched fairy enters her room, with the body of tinker-bell and the face of Clementine._

_"Hello Princess Sarah, I'm the magic fairy of the land of Clem and the river of Tine. I'm here to grant you one wish" The fairy squeaks, as the humble princess, picks at her rags and mutters "Really?" as the fairy responds "Yes, really. But we warned this land is a cold and dead place. Filled with monsters and evil people, so if you do wish for freedom, then expect great peril..." _

_"I have to do something!" The brave princess Sarah says defiantly, as she stands up "I can change this world, I just need the chance" she continues, as she makes her wish to be free of the tower, the fairy Clementine waves her wand and POOF! Princess Sarah is out of the tower._

_We then see her being chased by monsters, (less gory walkers) as she flees, before she is saved by the grumpy hermit. "Nick of the mountains" it shows an angrier looking Nick, who is hunchbacked and is rags, who has a massive black beard._

_"You can't change this world princess" he tells her glumly._

_"I can! I have to try! We all have to believe! You as well!" she encourages him, as the hermit Nick and Princess Sarah break into an old fashioned (lets randomly start singing) Disney song as... _

"That is so cheesy, no one is going to make a Disney film on this!" Gill yelled to Sarah, interpreting her Disney dream.

"Hey, people will want to be cheered up, after everything goes back to normal! Won't they Clem?" Sarah suddenly asked, of a daydreaming Clementine who was faintly aware of her name being called, as she looked at Sarah, and fumbled for an answer...

"Your film is stupid and too unrealistic" Gill argued before Clementine could answer...

"Your film, is too sad and too unrealistic!" Sarah shot back

"Guys, stop fighting!" Clementine said, as Sarah and Gill's heads turned to her, as she let out a sly smile "Besides, this is how it would really go..."

_**"A Lionsgate production presents**_

_**A Clementine Marshall Productions**_

_**THE WALKING DEAD**_

_Clementine (narrating) "In a world, where the dead walk..." _

_Several shots of Walkers across the countryside, as buildings rot behind them._

_"People must learn to band together to survive..." _

_Cuts to a shot of the motor Inn, with Clementine's original group, along with her new group living side by side, as they build defences, as Lee frequently checks on a younger Clementine._

_"In a dramatic..." (cuts to a shot of the 's rainy farm, where Andy runs towards the group, blood soaked, with crazy eyes), yet heart-warming (cuts to a shot of Lee hugging Clementine, Omid and Christa embracing and Eddie and Wyatt laughing at a joke...) "... you will see the true tales of survival, in the world of the walking dead! Coming to cinema's in October" _

Clementine finished her film idea (glad to not be interrupted) as Gill and Sarah looked on with wide eyes.

"Well... that's okay..." Sarah began.

"But it's boring, people wanna see more action!" Gill mused.

"No they don't! They want more happy stuff..." Sarah argued back, as Clementine simply lay back.

From that scary argument that Luke had, to this... movie suggestions of all things.

She was glad she had friends like Gill and Sarah.


	4. The Walking Dead Goes Hollywood Part 2

**A/N: Okay this is story is starting to become more drama fuelled than I originally planned (I got sidetracked) either way these series of oneshots will be over in a few chapters because (I can confirm) I do have a sequel in mind. I'm planning to call it "Going To Ruin?" So keep an eye out for it, I've already got a few plans for it, but don't expect to see it for a while, as need to plan out everything before I write it. **

**Anyway thanks for sticking by this story you guys! **

**FunFX2012- I'm shaping Vince up to be a dick aren't I? Let's just say this is hinting towards what type of characters they'll be, or what roles they'll play in the sequel. **

**AquaDestinysEmbrace- Thanks! This whole chapter's going to be filled with movie ideas so pick your favourite! **

**A Writer With Mixed Interests- A new reviewer! Nice to see you enjoyed the last story and are enjoying this one, I can't wait to hear more from you!**

**Rebloxic- No, people can't die in this story (consider it a break from the usual drama and deaths that occurred in the last story) **

**apathy- Loving your advice and reviews once again. I swear you're helping me shape this thing in what the characters talk about and I applaud you for that, as sometimes these details fly over my head.**

**BlackGalaxyStars- Thank you! Rest assured no one will die or get hurt in this story, but like I said, these scenes are little indicators of what's to come for the sequel and (judging by each character's movie idea) you can get a glimpse into their differing personalities, I consider this my little "400 days" before the sequel. **

**Okay, onwards with the chapter...**

**P.S I got lazy in the middle of this chapter and changed the whole film idea layout to basic ****dialogue, sorry about this, but I hope you still enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

><p>"Uh... Clem tell him..."<p>

"No tell her..."

Clementine could only smile as she hung behind a bickering Gill and Sarah, their imaginations running wild, as they paced around the hardware store (Sarah was given a break from her duties and Gill and Clementine had free time to kill) so here they were. Wondering freely.

Bickering about movie ideas.

"Yeah but... Hollywood isn't realistic anyway when it comes to zombie movies..." Sarah was saying.

"There not zombies, there called walkers..."

"They may as well be zombies, I remember watching one zombie film called Night Of The Living Dead, when my dad went out one day. I didn't sleep for weeks after watching it, yet it didn't come close to the real thing..."

"You got scared of that? That film was lame and it was in black and white!"

"No it wasn't lame, my dad wouldn't let me watch it. But one day, when he was out, I snuck it from the cabinet he hid it in, and I watched it. and even then it didn't come close to what me and Nick went through..."

"You do realize your trying to compare A Disney Film to Night Of The Living Dead, to justify your argument?"

"Am Not! I'm simply saying...!"

"You alright there Clem?" Came the amused voice of a woman.

The three "kids" turned around to find Rebecca and Sarita approaching them, smiling warmly at the three kids, Clementine grinned back, knowing full well they had been listening in on the childish argument and Clementine silence showed how much more mature she was than the other two.

"Yeah" Clementine muttered, before Rebecca spoke up once again.

"So I heard all that? Film ideas huh?" she asked of them with a raised eyebrow, as she snuggled AJ closer to her chest.

"I was suggesting a action film based off this whole end of the world thing... whereas Sarah here thinks a stupid Disney film would be a better idea!" Gill puffed, his eyes narrowing as he dramatically folded his arms over his small chest and exhaled moodily.

Sarita laughed heartily at this and murmured "Ah, children and their imaginations"

"It's strange to see three children like yourselves enjoying yourselves, it's been so long since I last saw children playing. I never thought I'd live to see it again" Rebecca mused, her eyes wide with motherly love, as she gazed upon a still red faced Sarah. A grumpy Gill and an indifferent Clementine.

"You know?" Sarita piped up to break the growing silence, as the three children of the group looked up at her, "I actually have a good idea concerning a film. Rather than all this Hollywood nonsense, you should take some hints from my homeland..."

_**A Fox Star Studios Presents **_

_**A Sarita Bava Production**_

_**THE BLESSING OF THE DEAD**_

_Narrator (Sarita)- "In Humanity's future the world is overcome by a deadly virus..."_

_Camera pans of zombies in the slums of Mumbai, as grey plumes of smoke pollute the bright blue sky..._

_"Now, in this world of so much death and destruction, one hero must emerge from the ashes..."_

_Camera cuts to a image of Kenny, the wind blowing through his hair, as he gazes dreamily at the distant sky, from on top one of the tin roofs of the slums._

_"To save those less fortunate then himself, those that live... in the utopia of __ignorance" _

_Camera cuts to an ideal safe haven, where a dreamy faced Sarita is gazing tenderly upon the distant rugged lands, a massive fence separates the safe haven from the herds of walkers. As she looks on, Sarita's father approaches from where she is leant of the windowsill._

_"Are you alright my dear daughter?" he asks._

_"Yes... but... I always wonder. Why do we never venture beyond the fence father? Surely one day they may break through..."_

_The father reassures Sarita that nothing bad will ever happen, as Kenny moves through the herd and saves Sarita (when walkers do indeed break through the fence) as their romance blooms._

_"And so... there came... The Blessing Of The Dead"_

Sarita finished her tale, looking around at everyone with wide eyes. No doubt a little giddy by her own imagination as she spoke out ,about her perfect Bollywood love story. Eventually Gill broke the silence...

"A love story? Ugh, no one's going to want to see that" he criticized Sarita's film idea. But Rebecca merely shook her head.

"You'd be surprised kids, romance films always sell" she informed them, when Gill shook his head violently, Rebecca merely chuckled once again and said, "Oh... okay. I'll tell you what kind of film they'll make..."

_**A... well weird film studio presents**_

_**A Rebecca Warren Productions**_

_**THE SCHOOL OF THE DEAD**_

_Rebecca (narrating) Lucy (basically her) enjoys time at school like any other teenage girl, along with best friend Willa (Sarita). Both of them are dressed in skimpy Japanese schoolgirl uniforms, with the bodies of schoolgirls with their faces (just much more youthful looking, with longer hair) as the skip merrily around school._

_"That all changes when the dead rise!" _

_Shots of the screaming pupils, pools of blood and herds of walkers clogged in the narrow corridors, as "Lucy" and "Willa" fight their way through the herd, providing the reader with plenty of panty shots and fan service and more fan service and OTT fan service, as the two youthful girls... (drenched in blood at this point) search for their boyfriends (two jocks, well built teenage boys, with the faces of a younger Alvin and Kenny)._

_"The two girls fight against all odds..."_

"Rebecca, people won't want to see that!" Sarita screeched, as the kids looked on confused, not really picking up on the erotic vibes behind two schoolgirls (typically anime style) fighting through herds of zombies, and their ridiculously out of proportion bodies. Only made that way to suit the lustful eyes of the (largely) male audience who would watch.

"I'm not saying I'd like a film like that, I'm just saying that's the type of garbage film-makers will probably make" Rebecca argued, as Sarita smiled and crooned softly "Sounds more like your darkest fantasy Rebecca..."

"Is not" Rebecca muttered, pretending to look down at AJ. So Sarita couldn't catch a glimpse of her reddening cheeks.

"Sounds boring anyway" Was Gill's verdict, as two forms emerged from the shadows, from behind one of the shelves.

"Ah, you say that now. But just you wait. In a few years time dude. You will love that idea" Eddie mused, as Wyatt trailed him. Both were grinning like mad-men and Clementine knew in that instant they had been listening in on the discussion.

"Oh Boy here we go..." Was all Rebecca had to say, for Eddie to dive into "His" film.

"Okay, me and Wyatt here have got an amazing idea! Okay... two dudes holed up somewhere..."

"You mean you two, in this hardware store" Rebecca corrected them, but Eddie didn't stop as he ploughed on with his fantasy.

"These two dude's save a bus-load full of bikini models, and in the comedy of the century... the two guys must repopulate the earth! Coming to cinema's soon, it's THE DEAD AND THE DUDES!"

Eddie looked around, as Rebecca uttered "Dumb and Dumber, the apocalypse edition".

"What's going on here?" Bonnie asked approaching the group, trailed slowly by Lilly and Mike.

"Is Luke better?" Clementine instantly asked, as Bonnie nodded.

"Yeah, him and Vince have calmed down. But by the racket you lot are making, it seems you ain't calm... so what's the fuss all about...?"

* * *

><p>Bonnie got her answer and was soon sucked into the discussion in having her film idea as the best. Her idea was a black and white romance film that had virtually nothing to do with zombies, which described a lonely woman's struggle to survive in an empty world. "Only for a brave fire... policeman!" she quickly stumbled, before correcting herself. Her cheeks burning, as she continued on... "only for a brave policeman to save her..."<p>

Her film was quickly ripped apart by film critic Gill. Who was happy with no film that wasn't his own.

Mike's idea for a film was a basic action adventure that seemed dull from the onset, although Gill's stinging words were a bit much. So much so, a passing Randy and Patricia scalded him for his language while criticizing Mike's film idea. Quickly learning from Rebecca about the film idea, they contributed as well. Giving a basic idea for a indie flick that Gill (forever the critic) didn't like. But it wasn't just Gill, everyone was getting rather competitive, assuming their idea was the best.

"Dear God..." Clementine thought, as they marched to the roof to gain more opinions on whose movie idea would be the best.

Vince gave some Quentin Tarantino type of film, Kelly followed in his suit, while Kenny gave some sort of Biker, Action version of events, in which zombie were killed by flame-throwers. The competition was only getting worse, especially now that Kenny was involved and was ranting to anyone who would listen, about why his film was the best. They called on the sole figure of Nick to judge on whose idea was the best.

Poor Nick was overwhelmed, and said he "couldn't decide" before (predictably) he went on about his own film. It was similar to Kenny, in terms of a lone bad-ass (no doubt a more rugged version of himself, in a leather jacket, a cigarette sticking out of his mouth, sunglasses on, bulked up with tattoo's, scars on face, massive mullet and beard...) well Nick went into detail on that. Before he went on about the lone heroes achievements, and how everyone saw him as the "badass hero".

And so, the group then corned Stephanie, who was the only one (other than Lilly, who dismissed the whole thing as stupid) who was left to give an idea. Rather than give her opinion on the matter, she dived into an edgy tale of music, drugs, and drama that somehow interlinked with zombies. The gritty film idea was something Stephanie argued was "Realistic", but didn't seem to have the same effect with others.

And so, it all came down to have their leader's opinion as the one that mattered. How the conversation had started between Her, Gill and Sarah and had somehow escalated, to this whole group contest on whose film was the best... Clementine would never know. But it had happened, as the entire group camped outside of Luke's office, as Kenny opened the door.

"Luke! We need you to make a decision!" Kenny yelled.

Luke went as white as sheet when he looked up, to see the whole group not at their posts, but waiting for this verdict. No doubt at first he thought it was something important, but when he learned it was simply film ideas he sighed in relief, before he blinked and muttered "Wait, why y'all away from your posts?"

"Ah come on Luke, we just want you to decide, it won't take long!" Bonnie pleaded of him.

It took over an hour for Luke listen to the tweaked versions of everyone's movie's ideas. When everyone finished, he was asked repeatedly whose was the best idea and he finally muttered "Okay, fine you want a best film idea? I Pick Clem's"

Clementine was surprised when she heard her name, as she looked up smugly. Instantly regretting it, as everyone was looking down at her with murderous glares.

"FAVOURITISM!" Eddie yelled.

"No! I picked Clem because her idea's pretty good and she's one of the only one's not freaking out over this. Now get back to your posts everyone. This debate is over"

Luke's verdict wasn't popular, "Just co-leaders sticking together, that's all. Our movie idea was the best by a mile..." Wyatt was telling Eddie, as the other's disbanded with stormy grumbles, as Clementine closed the door behind them. In the silence following this, Luke ran a hand through his hair and sighed, before he start chuckling... "Ah, what have we come to Clem?" he asked, as he sat back down his comfy chair.

"I have no idea how that escalated" Clementine admitted, taking her seat and looking up to the pasty grey-ish celling of the office.

"Yeah" Luke agreed.

"But why did you choose me?" Clementine asked, as Luke shrugged.

"In all honesty... I just wanted to shut them up, so I had to pick someone and there you were Clem" He explained, as he bent over some papers on his desk.

Clementine knew he wanted his silence, but she could tell he was amused. Happy in the knowledge that the group he was leading were happy enough to be discussing films and not constant death or misery. It proved that depression was far from people's minds, but the ideas themselves had given Clementine's a insight into everyone's personalities.

Kenny saw himself as an alpha male, whereas Nick idea was more like a fantasy of being a "badass hero", he wanted to be this hero, but knew he wouldn't be. Sarah also wanted to be a hero, and for everyone to be happy. Gill liked to travel and be cool... Randy and Patricia liked to keep things normal... Bonnie, Rebecca and Sarita longed for romance in different forms. Mike seemed cool with your average adventure, Lilly wasn't keen on opening up, (considering she didn't make a movie idea) Vince and Kelly preferred to be witty, whereas Wyatt and Eddie... well enough said really. Stephanie liked to live on the edge and was unpredictable, due to her edgy ideas.

It was silly, the film ideas were stupid but humorous. But they had also given Clementine a quick glimpse into everyone's mindset.

Maybe... this would help out in the future.


	5. Snapped

**A/N: Okay (I know this is sudden) but this will be the penultimate chapter to these series of one-shots (I said they'd be short) but the sequel is really developing in my mind and I'm getting writer's block when it comes to writing these funny little one's shots (and the drama is starting to escalate anyhow) so, I'm sorry I couldn't make these longer. But I'll try to drop in some comedic moments in the sequels but brace yourselves, that's all I can say. **

**Also, I've started Uni, so expect updates for Going To Ruin? To come weekly or maybe further apart, sorry about this, but I'll try my best! **

**Anyway Thanks to all reviewers... and I'll start answering your reviews!**

**Bubbles2k100 and AquaDestinysEmbrace- Thanks! Your reviews mean a great deal and I love the fact you're enjoying these one-shots.**

**Rebloxic and A Writer With Mixed Interests- Thank's for your reviews and I like how Gill is becoming a more prominent character**

**apathy- Thanks! I always look forward to your reviews! and I'll try and make the sequel come ASAP, as I've got a dozen ideas in my head that I'm excited to write about and I hope it does justice!**

**Guest- No, No "Narah" I don't ship 25 year old's with 15 year old's.**

**Chameishida- Thanks for another amazing review! Loved your points and observations on the characters and as for your ending review... nothing significant will happen that will affect the sequel. I consider this "filler" between No Going Back? and Going To Ruin? To basically tell you what happened in time gap between the two stories, as finishing No Going Back and then jumping to Going To Ruin? With only a few fleeting references to what happened at the hardware store... would make their hard earned victory fall a little flat.**

**So even having a short story, or a short number of oneshots to fill this void, would make it feel like winning was worth it even more. So... enjoy these oneshots while they last. And as for indicators on what happens in the next story? These series of oneshots have some hints of what's to come... but I like to keep my readers surprised...**

**obsessed naruhina fangirl- I always appericate your support and I'm glad you support these one shots, however I've recently just started Uni and I'm lacking on free time to get onto here, hence I'll have to wrap up this series of oneshots so I can work on the sequel when I can. Anyway stay awesome! **

**P.S. Also I'm nervous about the OC character Kelly, as I'm not a big fan of OC's and (looking back) I probably should have used a guard existing in the game (i.e. Vera) so I'll try to work on her this chapter (she's a sort of test to see how I can write original characters, but I know she won't hold a torch the bigger characters already established within the game)**

**Anyway onto the next chapter!**

* * *

><p>Another couple of weeks had breezed by.<p>

Everything remained the same, there was a minor celebration when the 3 month landmark was reached since after they had defeated Carver. Clementine had too vividly try and grasp that it was real. They had defeated Carver 3 months ago, that was 12 weeks, or 90 days (or near enough) they had been joined by Gill, Patricia and Randy 2 months ago and since then things had been running smoothly, or near enough smoothly.

After the disastrous first night, Luke had come to the conclusion that meeting nights would be a lot more pleasant at dinner. So sitting everybody down at adjoined plastic tables they used to sell at Howe's Hardware, he had them discuss events over dinner. The whole Kenny-Lilly thing going completely untouched at dinner. The topic had been discussed, they disliked each other. That's all there was too it, as long as they could work together without killing each other (or endangering the others) Luke was fine to let it slip by and so was everyone else.

On fuller stomach's the group discussion was more relaxed, usually Luke would ask about repair works or something like that, before making some jokes with the other adults that Clementine didn't understand. Luke was also beginning to chat with Nick a lot more.

_"You should go talk to Nick, he is your best friend after all" Clementine lectured Luke, soon after the whole "movie idea" thing had died down. _

_"I know I should Clem, but I don't want to pull him down with my problems" Luke told her in return, as he inhaled and continued "I mean... his getting on with things... you know how cut up he was about Walter and then Carlos? He... he was suicidal Clem. But now he has Sarah... he has a job to do... I don't want him getting involved with my problems, if you know what I mean?" Luke asked of her, as Clementine nodded. Nick had gotten himself involved in problems beforehand and it had ended badly (Matthew on the bridge)._

_But Clementine also knew that Nick would not stand by and watch his friend suffer._

_"Nick wants to help you Luke, speaking to him will help you both" She wisely informed him._

Since then Luke had heeded her advice and gone up to speak to Nick in the greenhouse every so often, now they were getting on like a house on fire. and Luke finally seemed to laugh a lot more often (without constantly thinking of Jane). He invested himself more in the hardware store and it's welfare to bury his grief... and it seemed to be working. But there was still instances when he would grieve openly... his depression was complex. One minute it would seem as if everything was getting better in time and then the next... he'd be a hollow shell. To Clementine, the fact he was better than he was 3 months ago was more than enough to reassure her, that he would pull through.

Vince had kept his mouth shut since the argument after Bonnie gave him a rough telling off about it. "Y'ALL DON'T ANTAGONIZE HIM LIKE THAT...!" she could be heard yelling, and it seemed as if it had done the trick. Vince kept his silence and since Luke seemed to be getting more emotionally stable by the day. His previous argument seemed null. He had already apologized and the situation blew over... however he was always ready to be leader... if Luke were too...

Falter.

That afternoon, exactly 92 days after William Carver had been ripped to shreds, Vince stood by the door of a supply closet, smoking on some of the last cigarettes they had. Unlike food, these cigarettes couldn't be grown on plants, so he simply cherished every second he could relieve stress by smoking these things...

"Hey, I see were almost out" Kelly said, walking up to him.

"Yeah" was Vince's sullen reply, as he puffed out the grey-ish cloud smoke into the cool air of the store.

They slowly smoked away in silence, whittling away the last scraps of tobacco they could get their hands on, Kelly inspected Vince for a short while, her eyes slowly inspecting him, as Vince's eyes remained locked on the floor. His expression was one of stress, he was bothered about something, the two of them were closest to each other. They were the same ethnicity, they worked together guarding the roof, all day and all night. They confided in each other, joked and laughed and in the wake of Russell's and Shel's deaths. Kelly had been the new beacon of light in Vince's life.

"So, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing"

"Vince, you've got that cow slapped my sour face look. Of course you're bothered about something" Kelly told him, matter of factly as Vince sighed, he lips moved but no sound came out. Kelly cocked her head to the side and placed her hands on her hips...

"Oh boy, it's not this whole Luke thing, is it?" She asked, already knowing the answer. So when Vince nodded, she could say she wasn't surprised.

It was Kelly's time to sigh, as she inspected the murky shelves around her, and the corroding and rusted red and grey tinges of metal and steel coating the store around the smoking pair. Yet there was a stillness in the air that confirmed one thing.

They were alone.

"It's just..." Vince begun, before his words coming out of his mouth vanished with the smoke in the air, inhaling once again, Vince racked his brains for the right words as he tried to describe the issue he had with Luke.

"It's just... Luke's a nice guy. I like him. and yeah everyone thinks his getting better... but seriously I don't think that guy's stable enough to lead this place..."

"He seems fine to me. He does a damn good job and we all know it"

"Yeah, but the community's stable right now, and has been months. But sooner rather than later, when shit hits the fan because it always does. Than I think his going to snap. This group will fall apart if they've got no one to lead them, or direct them" Vince explained, as Kelly listened on silently.

"And... you're saying you'd make a better leader?" Kelly enquired, with a thin raised eyebrow, as Vince looked at her. His face was hard to read as he spoke...

"I know I sound cocky saying this, but I led that little camp for god knows how long, out in the wilderness and we did just fine, I don't want to antagonize Luke, I just..." Vince trailed off, taking one last drag of his cigarette stump, before (with a pained sigh) he dropped the glowing embers of tobacco to the floor and crushed it with the sole of his foot.

"You keep level-headed Vince, you'd make an ideal leader. It's just trying to undermine Luke like that... it was a bad approach" Kelly informed him, also stomping on her glowing cigarette.

"I didn't try to undermine him!" Vince yelled, instantly on the defence.

"Maybe not intentionally, but you still tried to make him look bad..." before Vince could protest Kelly ploughed onwards "...however, I know where your coming from. You're not a bad person Vince, I know you want what's best for the group" she summarised as Vince nodded in agreement.

"Thanks... for understanding Kelly" He told her somewhat shyly, avoiding direct eye contact with her.

"No problem" she told him simply.

They shuffled there, standing by the closet door as an empty breeze blew through the store, chilling them slightly, but also once again confirming once again, that they were alone. Bonnie and Mike were dumping the bodies at the site they had. Stephanie was outside stringing on her guitar, everyone else was on the roof, and Lilly was working on repairing the greenhouses and the kids and the medics would be the sickbay. So they had this place to themselves for a few hours.

"Vince..." Kelly finally said, to break for the silence between them, As she leant closer to him. She reached her hand up to his face, in which he instantly swatted away, his expression panicked he jumped away from her.

"Kelly! No!" He gasped, his eyes wide. Yet his face was burning in something much more than just embarrassment.

"Vince, we both know, why the hell are we waiting?" Kelly was breaking this subject between them for the first time. They both got along well... very well... at some point that friendship had become a crush, they both knew it. But so far they had failed to act upon it. Kelly had loved and lost people in the past, but she had concluded that life was short, she wanted this to become official rather than wait longer and miss it.

"We can't Kelly! Look..." Vince words were tumbling out of his mouth more rapidly as Kelly approached "But... fuck... there are risks. Pregnancy! Raising a baby! and... and... what if I lose you! You know how much that would devastate me!?" he demanded of her, but she did not flinch.

"I know you're scared of losing me Vince, but too me I already love you, I know you feel the same. If one of us were to die tomorrow, I'd grieve, but I'd remember that I least I loved and lost. Rather than never loving at all..." she was saying tenderly as she approached him, Vince's heart was beating faster, he could hear the blood rushing through his ears.

"Kelly... I..." Vince spluttered helplessly.

"You think I'm going to end up like Shel, don't you?" she asked, leaning in closer to his face, as he remained frozen in place, sweat trickling from his forehead "You liked her? You knew her for a while, but you never acted upon it and you regret it now. But in a way you don't... because you've seen what happens to guys who lose the girls they loved, such as Luke" she told him, as he couldn't move, he could only stare in wonder.

"Kelly, promise me. You won't leave me" Vince croaked, in response to his plea, Kelly merely let out a cocky grin.

"Back when this all started, back when I owned that flower store. I was a shy mess, I used to have panic attacks over stupid things. When this whole thing started... I somehow survived when my family didn't... and after surviving so much shit... it hardened me. But even then. I escaped from situations I shouldn't have done. Ditched groups I found as walkers weeks later, escaped from dozens of bandits, I come here and now I'm the sole survivor of Carver's former guards, I don't know why it's me. Or the how the hell I get so lucky, but... I must have found a four leaf clover..." she smiled up at him, as she muttered

"Unfortunately I don't think I'm going anywhere"

Vince couldn't contain it any longer, they crashed into each other, their passions for it driving them forwards, as their hands explored every part of each other, as the kissed deeply, when they finally broke apart a short while later, they were both panting heavily.

"In here?" Kelly gasped, pointing at the tiny closet next to them.

"Yeah" Vince agreed, picking her up, her petite head rested on his shoulder, as he carried her, with one of his strong arms wrapped around her waist, as she hugged his thigh with her legs. Brushing each other's damp black hairs from their eyes, they proceeded into the dark closet...

* * *

><p>"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..." Sarah finally gasped for air, as Clementine stopped counting from where she planted next to Sarah.<p>

"18 seconds" she announced.

"YES! I WIN!" Sarah yelled in triumph, a glowering Gill could only watch in the silent envy. Randy and Patricia watched from nearby, Gill thought it was stupid when his parents suggested (because the three kids were bored) that a "who-can-hold-their-breath-the-longest-while-making-farm-animal-sounds" would be a good game. But after a while he realised he wanted to win, now that he hadn't, he had been put into a very bad mood.

"I'm bored" he moaned loudly.

"Gill, don't be so rude" Patricia scalded him, as Gill rolled his eyes.

In response Sarah stuck her tongue out at him, as Gill moaned once again "Dad! She just stuck her tongue out at me! Tell her to stop!"

Randy simply raised his voice slightly "Kids..." he warned, as Sarah quickly quietened down. She had adapted to life here, but there was still one problem that she wasn't used too... Gill had his parents to scald him, Clementine never needed telling off, as she was as mature (maybe even more so) than the adults. Whereas Sarah would find herself... passed around somewhat. Sometimes Rebecca or Sarita would tell her to calm down, sometimes Clementine would do it. Although she liked it best when Nick would do it.

Nick had to work in the greenhouse most of the time, but when she annoyed Gill, or ran off from her post. Nick was there to set her straight, he told her off... but since she was closest to Nick, she could pretend (sometimes) that Nick was her father. As Carlos would scald her, but she knew her father loved her deep down. Nick was similar, he could get too angry for his own good. But Sarah knew he cared, and this is what her closer to him than anyone else. (maybe other than Clementine). She knew the group cared... but she knew she shared a special bond with Nick.

With these thoughts in mind, Sarah felt a need to go up and see him. Pretending to yawn, she said (as casually as possible) "Well, I'm bored too. I'm going up to see Nick"

"He might still be working hon" Patricia told her.

"I just want to see him. Seeing as it's my 16th birthday in few weeks and..." Sarah was babbling. Sarita and Rebecca had devised a calendar and had managed to figure out the date once again...

The day of the outbreak had occurred in July 2003. To Clementine she managed to put down the dates in this order...

October 2003 was roughly when Lee died.

June 2004 when was Omid died.

October 2005 was when she and Christa had been separated.

In around November 2005, the group had taken over Howard's Hardware.

It was now February 16th 2006, the third month since they had taken over the hardware store.

For Clementine knowing the date again had been a weird feeling, they had missed celebrating new year and Christmas, but winning Howard's Hardware from Carver and living the relativity easy life here, made the biggest Christmas present Clementine could ask for. Now that they had the dates back on track, Birthdays could be tracked and Sarah's was in early March (she was a Pisces as she loved to tell everyone) Clementine's own birthday was October 1st. So she had a while to go before she lived to see her 12th birthday.

Back to present Patricia simply muttered "Okay, but be careful Sarah"

"Sure" she muttered as she walked out of the door, Clementine decided to follow her, not really having much else to do.

* * *

><p>"Hey" Nick greeted Sarah and Clementine with a friendly smile, as they walked into the greenhouse, as Sarah mused...<p>

"So Nick, you know it's my birthday in a few weeks!?"

"Yes, the whole store knows Sarah"

Sarah flushed in embarrassment, as Clementine surveyed the scene coolly as Nick looked over to her. "You okay, Clem?"

"Yep" Clementine replied simply, everyone knew Clementine was fine. She was probably the most capable out of the lot of them and could hold herself better than any of them.

"Speaking of birthdays Sarah. I got you a present" Nick told her, as Sarah eyes shone behind her glasses.

"Really!" she almost screamed.

"Yeah... might as well give it you now. Here..." he said handing her the old camera they had found back at the cabin. But they had lost it a few weeks back, Sarah had been saddened by it's loss, as they had used it to take a dozen photos of the people at the hardware store to pass the time.

"AH! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! YOU'RE THE BEST FRIEND EVER!" Sarah screamed in joy, jumping on Nick and embracing him, as Nick chuckled slightly, "Calm down Sarah..." he mused, as she stepped back from him.

"Where did you find it?" Clementine decided to ask.

"Under a shelf, I think Eddie was messing with it... anyway make sure you don't lose it again" he sternly told her.

"I won't! I promise! Thank you! Thank you..." Sarah was babbling on to Nick, who simply smiled through it all.

* * *

><p>A little while later, Sarah and Clementine were descending through the store, as Sarah chatted on to Clementine "Just wait Clem, I want my sweet sixteen to be the best birthday ever! I'm going to use this to take loads of pictures! Of you and Nick and the others and...!"<p>

"I wonder how many photos it has left on it?" Clementine decided to inquire, they did have a hell of a lot of photos on the walls of the sickbay and Clementine was curious to as how many more that old camera could sprout out. Sarah simply shrugged at Clementine's inquiry.

"I dunno, I think it pops up after you take a picture" she told the younger girl.

"Really?"

"Yeah"

They stopped by a closet door.

"Well then take a picture" Clementine said

"I don't want it to be a waste!" Sarah whined, as Clementine sighed and looked around. Nobody seemed to be about and she couldn't hear... oh wait, she could... from inside the closet someone seemed to be grunting...

"I think Vince is in the closet, he must be cleaning" Clementine told Sarah, as the elder girl's eyes brightened.

"Ooh, let's surprise him!" she suggested, as she let out a mischievous grin. She wanted to scare Vince and see his reaction... it would make a funny picture...

Holding her breath... Sarah used her foot to kick open the door, the closet was tiny, inside there was no where to go, and before Sarah realised what she was actually seeing, she merrily announced (in a booming voice, to scare who she thought would be Vince, in the closet by himself...)

"CHEESE!"

SNAP


	6. Sarah's Sweet Sixteenth

**A/N- Okay, final authors note, thanks for reading you guys! and now I'll give you the results of the poll (so If my Fanfic No Going Back? was an actual episode these would be the results of the choices...**

**Choice 1- Made Or Refused The Deal With Carver?**

**You and 51% of players made the deal with Carver and kept your possessions but executed the rebels.**

**You and 49% of players refused the deal with Carver and lost your possessions but did not execute the rebels.**

**Choice 2- The Father Or Friend?**

**You and 89% of players went to Shel first so she could comfort Stephanie after her abortion**

**You and 11% of players went to Stan first, so his outrage at the death of his child (and beating of Stephanie) would result in more people rebelling**

**Choice 3- Kenny Or Sarita?**

**You and 70% of players checked on Kenny first, leaving Luke to hack off Sarita's arm**

**You and 30% of players hacked off Sarita's arm first, leaving Luke to check on Kenny**

**Choice 4- Carver's Killer?**

**You and 75% of players spoke up and encouraged Kenny to kill Carver, hence Luke was spared more trauma**

**You and 25% of players kept quiet and allowed Luke to brutally murder Carver, fulfilling his need for justice, but unhinging him more**

**Choice 5- Did you forgive Carley/Doug's murderer?**

**You and 55% of players forgave Lilly**

**You and 45% of players remained hostile and wary of Lilly**

**There we have it! Okay I want to thank you all again for all the great reviews, but for now, enjoy this final page and I'll see you soon!**

* * *

><p>"GET UP!"<p>

"GET UP!"

"GET UP!"

Was all that was heard that March morning, as everyone rubbed their crinkled eyelids and rose from their make-shift beds, groaning loudly and telling Sarah to be "quiet" but this wasn't working in the slightest. The girl practically flew around the hardware store merrily booming at everyone so they'd wake up and celebrate her "birthday".

Hearing her yells and being vigorously shook by the now 16 year old teenager, Clementine rose from her bed as Sarah went to go wake someone else up. Clementine couldn't help but smile lightly. Sarah was still Sarah... she could be 16 or 60 but Clementine doubted her best friend would change her colours.

Clementine passed the photos stocked on the walls, that had been pinned up. Several were of the group, smiling at their workplaces, the infamous "sex snap" as it had been nicknamed, was placed high above the rest. So everyone else could see it and laugh at it whenever they got bored. It confirmed to everyone Vince and Kelly were now an item (and what they were up too) but what made it funnier were four things...

A) It was their first time.

B) It was photographed, to be viewed forever-more.

C) It happened to be Sarah and Clementine (the two little girls) who came across such a site

D) Their faces upon capture

Upon reaction Vince had screamed "SARAH!" and slammed the closet door shut. Sarah had then shouted through the door "WHY ARE YOU WRESTLING NAKED!?" in which Bonnie and Mike (who had just returned from their job) overheard. They approached the scene, a confused Clementine was still shocked by events and stood silently as Sarah explained to Bonnie and Mike about what she had seen. The laughter started there... and escalated when the picture came out...

Vince and Kelly came out of the closet a few minutes later, red faced and peeling their clothes back on, only to discover half of the group already gathering outside the door. Crying with laughter at the photos that Sarah shyly passed around for all to see. Vince's face fell, Kelly was mortified.

They wore plastic bags over their head for a full week, before it died down. (But it was still brought up, over dinner or in discussion)

With this in mind Sarah, Clementine (and Gill who tagged along with them) proceeded to Nick. (Who was still crying in laughter over the incident) his laughter soon subsided when Sarah blatantly asked him "Nick, what's sex? Because everyone says that's what Vince and Kelly were doing..."

There was no escape for a red faced Nick, he muttered "Well... when a man and a woman love each other very much..."

"Yeah I've heard this, but what is sex?" Sarah nagged, as Nick sighed, stuttering and trying to explain it quickly.

"Well... when a man... sticks his bit... in a woman's bit" was all he could say, trying quickly to return to his work, but Sarah still looked puzzled, however Clementine reckoned she got the gist.

"So Vince was sticking his Willie into Kelly's doo-dah?" she asked, causing Nick to chuckle at the question, he guffawed uncontrollably before he silently nodded.

"That's disgusting, what if he weed?" Sarah asked the group at large, causing Nick to dissolve into more fits of laughter, as Sarah looked evermore puzzled at the situation. However Gill tried to clear the air (in the worst way possible)

"So... a man sticks his Willie into a woman's doo-dah until he wees? That's it isn't it?" Gill said matter of factly, Nick was now on the floor, struggling to breathe as fits of hilarity overtook his form, "You're... all...still...so... innocent..." he managed to gasp, as tears of mirth spilled from over his bright blue eyes.

"No, it's like kissing, they do it for as long as they want to. Not when they wee, that's just gross Gill" Clementine told him, Nick now appeared to be dying, as he nearly kicked over a large berry plant opposite of him, as his legs swung over the place and he clutched his stomach as if he had broken his ribs. The three kids stared down at him annoyed.

"So if I were stick my Willie in Clem's doo-dah, that would be sex?" Gill decided to ask of Nick.

It took Nick two whole minutes to regain himself, before he finally managed to gasp "No! You kids shouldn't be thinking about that. Besides you have to be older to do it"

"How old?" Gill asked annoyed.

"Older" Nick simply replied, as Sarah put on a smug face and muttered "Well... I bet I'm old enough"

"Jesus Christ Sarah, don't... think like that!" Nick gasped, still strangely giddy, as Clementine simply rolled her eyes... he was so immature.

"But it would it be sex, if I were to stick my bit in Clem or Sarah's bits?" Gill said, trying desperately to clear the air and get the facts straight, as Nick exhaled heavily and boomed loudly "Yes! If you had sex with Clem or Sarah, you would have stick your male parts in their female parts"

He seemed happy with himself, yet he wondered why Clementine was giving him such a concerned look. He realised she was gazing behind him, Nick felt hot breath on his neck. No doubt they had only heard his last part and no doubt they were angry.

Henceforth, Randy, Patricia (and Gill who was dragged along with them) didn't speak to Nick (or approach him) for quite a while after that.

Either way with that incident out of the way, life continued as normal for everyone at Howard's Hardware. Everyone got on with their jobs and right now the group were gathering at the dinner table for breakfast for Sarah's sweet 16th birthday. An occasional "Happy Birthday" was thrown at Sarah which she appreciated.

"Happy birthday kid" was Wyatt's greeting as Eddie popped up behind him and told everyone "Well... just wait till you see what your first present is!"

"You got me a present!" she exclaimed excited.

"The very best!" Was Eddie's reply.

They had painted unicorns on the barricade outside of the store "Well... I told Eddie if we survived the rebellion we'd have to do this" Was all Wyatt could say, as everyone gazed on, either astonished or horrified.

"It's beautiful!" Sarah said running up to the wooden barricade and stroking the white unicorns painted there, "Complete with a golden horn!" Eddie added, as if he was advertising something, Sarah seemed to love the decoration, while others opinions differed.

"I can feel my masculinity dying" Kenny groaned.

"Doesn't match the rest of the store" Was all Lilly said.

This was a rare occasion in which Kenny or Lilly had an agreement rather than argument, which was a start, but everyone else seemed to like it in some way.

"You can work, so much for being a professional slacker then" Mike told, a proud Eddie.

"It's kinda cute" Bonnie said, smiling at the decorations.

"It's nice to have something other than the usual rusting metal to look at all day" Stephanie agreed, as the two woman nodded and appreciated Wyatt and Eddie's artwork.

"Ah Kenny, you just don't appericate artwork, I personally love it" Was Sarita's opinion and one that Sarah shared "As long as the birthday girl is happy, then I know my job is done!" Eddie told them all.

"_Your_ job?" Wyatt inquired with a raised eyebrow.

They bickered for a little while before returning inside, Rebecca could be heard wondering aloud "I can't believe you two actually did work"

"You can't tell us shit about work, I don't see you doing any" Eddie told a stern Rebecca.

"Excuse me, but I clean up after you and look after the baby" Rebecca shot back at him.

"Well what have you cleaned lately?" Eddie inquired.

"Your stinking attitude if you're not quiet" Rebecca replied.

"Ooooh, burn!" Wyatt chuckled, as Eddie fell silent, losing this war of words as Rebecca smiled in victory, yet this was merely harmless banter, everyone seemed to get on fine otherwise.

* * *

><p>Night fell, more photo's were taken, Luke came down from his office to smile through the dinner in which bottles of alcohol were passed around (from where they were kept in the armoury) their stash of alcohol was low and saved for special occasions and tonight was one of those nights, as everyone began to get more drunken and more jolly as the evening progressed.<p>

"Here..." Nick said, handing Sarah a full bottle of cider. "You'll like this, it will be your first drink" he added, as Sarah looked down at it nervously, "I don't think I'm old enough..." she began somewhat nervously, as Nick shrugged her off "Don't worry about that, it's nice, trust me" Nick mused, judging by his reddened face, Clementine guessed he had already somewhat tipsy or drunk. Never the less Sarah took a quick gulp from the bottle... swallowed... and began to cough.

"Ugh" she groaned as Nick patted her back, as she retched and looked up at him "That was horrible, it made my throat dry" she moaned, as Nick simply laughed.

"Go through a few of those and you won't care" he mused, leaning over the table to talk to Luke, as Sarah continued to enjoy her dinner in front of her, as Clementine looked around the table, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves... everything had been going smoothly and had been doing so for so many months now...

This was her new life, everyone's second chance and now they were enjoying it while it lasted.

"I need the toilet, I'll be back in a second" Sarah told her, as her best friend bolted off. Clementine smiled and watched as Nick went to talk with Kenny, as Luke was left sitting, swaying slightly on the spot as Clementine got off her chair and walked over to him.

"You enjoying yourself?" she asked of Luke, who turned around to face her, Luke was smiling in a simplistic manner.

"Yep, it's nice to see everyone relaxing" He mused, looking across the adjoining plastic tables at everyone laughing and joking amongst each other...

"I think they'll be happier to see you relaxing" Clementine told him, as he nodded and seemed to smile at a point in the distance, Clementine decided to leave him to his business, he struggled. But he was pulling through, time would heal the wounds and so far he was regaining himself and was shaping out to be a fantastic leader.

Clementine had nothing to worry about.

* * *

><p>Sarah had just finished in girl's restroom, as she headed for the door, she suddenly bumped into the woman she liked least here.<p>

Lilly.

"Oh" Sarah muttered, instantly uncomfortable, gazing around the white tiles around her and not at the woman in front of her, as her hands starting to twitch nervously, she didn't like being around Lilly especially after Lilly shot her.

"Hey Sarah" Lilly murmured quietly, knowing full well the 16 year old was uncomfortable around her, as Sarah's gaze finally found the murky floor to the bathroom and remained there. The silence between them grew, until Lilly decided to try and move the conversation forwards.

"So... are you enjoying your birthday?" she asked.

"Oh yes... it's great" Sarah muttered weakly, still not making eye contact with the brunette, as Lilly sighed and ploughed on.

"I had to get away from Kenny, shit-faced and going on about his life story, I couldn't be around him then. I'd just start an argument and I don't want that. I don't want to kill the mood tonight" Lilly was explaining to Sarah, who simply muttered a quiet "Yeah" in response. Lilly couldn't help but feel frustrated at the silence between them. She wanted to put this hurdle behind them and Lilly wanted to integrate with the group more, so taking a deep breath she dived into the topic she had long avoided.

"Look, I know it's been awkward between you and me, but that's understandable considering I almost killed you" Lilly began as Sarah looked up at the older woman at last, with this in mind Lilly continued speaking.

"But I swear to God, right now I'm trying to protect you and everyone here. I get it that were not going to be friends anytime soon, but can I least give you a birthday present and listen to me?" Lilly asked, as Sarah slowly nodded, as Lilly smiled "You... got me a present?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah... look take this" Lilly muttered handing her a small, but deadly looking black pistol, as Sarah pocketed it gently, before looking up at Lilly again.

"It's your personal gun, you can keep it on you and use it too protect yourself at all times" Lilly explained to her, as Sarah nodded slowly.

"Okay... but why do I need it now?" She asked Lilly in doubt, as Lilly sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Well... it's your birthday and you're growing up. And when you do... people will start looking at you differently, men in particular. If they do..." she paused there as if looking for the right words, before she seemingly found them and told the younger girl... "Take this warning seriously Sarah... if anything or anyone tries to approach you and tries to hurt you. You shoot them, no matter what"

Sarah gulped at this sentence, as she murmured "But... I could just have easily shot you. But you protect us..." she was saying as Lilly shook her head "Look, I wouldn't have blamed you if you shot me. I wouldn't like it, but I'd understand it. If this place eventually does fall and things go to shit. You remember that, a lot of people want you to be safe, me included. So don't go around shooting people you know you can trust, but always be on the lookout..." Lilly finished as she gazed down at Sarah.

The younger girl was quite unnerved by this warning (and in all honestly didn't agree with shooting everything that moved, Nick and Lilly had both made that mistake) but she knew that Lilly wanted her to be safe, henceforth she could appericate the warning given to her.

"Okay, thanks for all that Lilly. I'll think about it" she told the brown haired woman, as Lilly simply smiled.

"Well that's good to know. Enjoy your birthday Sarah"

Sarah went and did so, the warning laying almost forgotten in the back of her mind.

_Almost._

* * *

><p>It was getting late, they had no cake, but a stash of food that Sarita and Rebecca helped create, so they stuck 16 candles at the top of that and presented it too Sarah. Turning off the electric lights, Stephanie began a chorus of "Happy birthday to you...!" with her guitar in which everybody else followed suite,(some like Kenny singing worse than others) as the Sarah was told by Bonnie (who was holding the "cake) to "... make a wish darlin'..." in which Sarah did, taking a dramatically deep breath in those few seconds of silence she thought of her wish.<p>

_"For everything to stay the same, as it is now" _

She blew out the candles to a resounding cheers from the rest of the store survivors.

Elsewhere everyone else was getting along well, Kenny, Sarita, Randy, Patricia, Rebecca and Luke were having a group conversation, Nick was with Eddie and Wyatt doing something strange no doubt. Stephanie was their singer for the night, as she was sat up on one of the shelves using her guitar to sing merrier tunes than her usual sad, country tones. Songs such as "Breakfast At Tiffany's" she played out for others to dance along too. Vince and Kelly were drunkenly stumbling across the store floor, trying to dance to Stephanie's songs and ultimately failing.

"GO GET A ROOM THIS TIME AND NOT A CLOSET YOU PAIR!" Kenny bellowed, when the two embraced, causing many to laugh, even Vince and Kelly seemed giddy at the joke, as Bonnie smiled at them from where she was leant up against the shelf, ah... there was a lot of romance in the air right now.

"Hey..." came the somewhat deep and husky mumble of Mike next to her, as he stood next to her and watched the party, as Clementine, Gill and Sarah took the dance-floor to dance childishly next to Vince and Kelly, as more merry laughter filled the room. Mike chuckled lightly, before he turned back to Bonnie "Hey Bonnie... do you mind if...?" he gestured to a shelf behind him, as Bonnie muttered "sure" and they proceeded towards a shelf behind them, obscured from view from everyone else.

"So... come on, what do you want city boy?" Bonnie mused, as Mike somewhat shyly and scratched the back of his neck and flashed her a quick smile, his eyes seemed to dart everywhere.

"Well... I was thinking... with everyone hooking up and all... that... you know... I know... maybe... maybe... you don't... well you don't feel the same... but I really... really... like kind of like you... and..." he only stopped babbling when Bonnie reached up and gave him a quick peck on the lips, she broke away a second later, leaving Mike somewhat stunned.

"Are you always this bad at askin' out girls?" Bonnie mused.

"Yeah" Mike admittedly blankly, as Bonnie giggled on, the alcohol getting to her head slightly, before she regained herself and said softly "Unfortunately, I kinda like you as well, but let's take this slow. No funny business in the closet" she joked, as Mike laughed.

"Oh no, I do not want a place on the wall of shame..."

"Or your head, in one of those tiny plastic bags...!"

They laughed on through the night, happy to have each other's company.

* * *

><p>"OKAY EVERYONE GROUP PHOTO!" Randy yelled, as the party reached it's climax, and everyone was having a great amount of fun. Even Lilly seemed to be getting into the gist of things, hardly able to believe she was enjoying herself after everything she had donesaid/been through. But Kenny seemed to be doing it, so even if it was just for a night, she would do it as well. With this in mind she was one of the first to pop in front of the camera.

"It's the last photo we can print off this thing!" Randy informed the group, as he slowly but surely gathered everyone together into the range of the photograph, as they stood there smiling at it. (Randy would be the only one not in the photo, as he had to take it. But he was fine with that)

So Randy stood there, finally feeling part of this group, as his wife, draped her protective arms over her son's shoulders, as they both smiled at the camera (yes, even grumpy Gill smiled) the trio of them may have been new, but were welcome in this group, they were happy with things.

Next to Patirica and Gill, Kenny and Sarita smiled at the camera, the crippled couple, proudly displaying their wounds to the camera, they had been through so much and after losing an eye and an arm, they were more than entitled to enjoy themselves, other couples also smiled at each other, before smiling at the camera (Mike and Bonnie, Vince and Kelly...)

Eddie and Wyatt were pulling funny faces (as per expected) as Luke stood next to Lilly in the centre of the photo, by standing proudly over the small beaming face of Clementine, who gazed at the camera, happy to be surrounded by her family, as Sarah stood next to her. With a wide smile, with Nick's shadow looming behind her, he managed a smile. While Rebecca proudly presented Alvin Jr to the camera, but before the photo was taken she looked inside her pocket, at her old photo of her late husband that she carried with her everywhere (Nick and Sarah brought these photo's back from the cabin)

"I wish you were here to see this" she muttered, before she put the photo back in her pocket and gave a small smile to the camera, despite the noise Alvin Jr was fast asleep. But his peaceful little face still faced the camera, so he would be included in the shot, and finally Stephanie stood at the end of the group, proudly displaying her guitar with a somewhat cocky smile, as she pretended to play it.

Randy took the picture...

SNAP!

_What came out, showed the group smiling forever-more _

_At the great spoils of war. _


End file.
